SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


Sr-p 


LECTURE  X. 

Delivered  on  the  Evening  of  the  IZth  May,  1832,  hy  the  Rev. 
John  Breckinridge,  of  Philadelphia. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


This  people  have  I formed  for  myself ; they  shall  show  forth  ray  praise. 
— Isaiah  xliii.  21. 

That  thou  mayest  know  how  thou  oughtest  to  behave  thyself  in  the 
house  of  God,  wliich  is  the  Church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground 
of  the  truth. — 1 Tim.  iii.  15. 

And  ye  became  followers  of  us,  and  of  the  Lord,  having  received  the  word 
in  much  affliction,  with  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost : so  that  ye  were  ensamples 
to  all  that  believe  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia.  For  from  you  sounded  out  the 
word  of  the  Lord  not  only  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  also  in  every  place 
your  faith  to  God-ward  is  spread  abroad  ; so  that  we  need  not  to  speak  any 
thing. — 1 Thess.  i.  6 — 8. 


Ip  the  Church  of  Christ  had  been  in  any  adequate  measure 
pure  in  her  spirit,  and  faithful  to  her  trust,  as  the  depository 
of  the  Gospel  for  mankind,  then  the  history  of  the  Church 
would  have  been  the  history  of  missions.* 

But  on  the  contrary,  the  history  of  the  Church  is  often. 


• Some  of  the  views  advanced  in  this  Lecture  were  published  by  the  au- 
thor in  the  Biblical  Repertory,  October,  1830. 

36 


256 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


in  a principal  degree,  the  record  of  its  corruptions  in  doc- 
trine and  life  ; and  when  we  would  trace  from  its  rise  to 
the  present  time,  the  pure  stream  of  Christianity,  instead 
of  “ the  river  of  God,”  we  find  in  many  ages  only  a scanty 
brook,  w'ell  nigh  lost  amid  the  rubbish  and  delapidations 
through  which  it  wends  its  weary  way. 

The  Apostles  of  Christ,  in  a qualified  sense,  may  be  said 
to  have  defined  with  their  own  hands  the  present  frontier- 
line of  foreign  missions;  and  what  has  since  been  done  for 
the  conversion  of  the  world,  has  been  the  result  more  of 
natural  causes,  than  of  the  spirit  of  missions.  What  they 
achieved  in  a few  years,  under  divine  influence,  by  heroic 
enterprise,  was  ignobly  left  by  after  ages,  to  a great  extent, 
to  the  work  of  time,  and  to  the  indirect  influences  only  of 
Christianity. 

Indeed,  for  several  centuries  before  the  days  of  Luther, 
the  Church  itself  was  missionary  ground.  The  religion 
of  Christ  lay  expiring  on  its  own  altar,  the  victim  of  its 
professed  votaries  and  friends.  And  when  at  the  ever  me- 
morable reformation,  “the  spirit  of  life  from  God  entered 
into  her,  and  she  again  stood  upon  her  feet,”  the  servants 
of  Christ  found  Paganism  within  the  very  recesses  of  the 
sanctuary.  They  had  but  little  leisure  for  the  cultivation  of 
a foreign  field,  who  were  absorved  in  purging  out  abomina- 
tions from  the  very  temple  of  God  itself.  Their  hands  were 
busied  in  breaking  down  the  idols  from  the  holy  places,  in 
ca.sting  out  those  that  made  merchandise  of  the  truth,  in 
overturning  the  tables  of  the  money-changers,  and  in  restor- 
ing to  its  purity  the  worship  of  God.  And  then,  alas!  al- 
most before  the  work  of  reform  had  been  sufficiently  extend- 
ed to  give  numbers  and  strength  to  Christianity,  the  spirit 
of  contention  and  of  schism  arose  ; the  progress  of  the  holy 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


257 


cause  was  arrested  by  the  fatal  divisions  of  its  friends  ; and 
the  Reformed  Church 

“ To  party  gave  up,  what  was  meant  for  mankind.” 

The  revival  in  latter  days  of  the  spirit  of  missions  in  Pro- 
testant Christendom,  is  a great  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  and  of  the  world.  We  have  no  doubt  that  future 
generations,  passing  by  the  fading  glories  of  this  world,  will 
resard  this  as  the  most  brilliant  characteristic  of  the  age  in 
which  we  live:  and  if  we  are  faithful  to  God  and  man,  it 
may  become  the  first  in  a series  of  progressive  movements, 
which,  with  the  divine  blessing,  shall  issue  in  the  conver- 
sion of  the  world. 

But  if  we  would  take  the  proper  impression  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  gird  ourselves  fully  for  the  great  and  solemn  ser- 
vice we  have  to  perform,  then  must  we  esteem  the  work  of 
missions  for  the  conversion  of  the  world  as  but  just  begun. 
For  though,  compared  with  the  spirit  and  labours  of  some 
other  ages,  much  is  doing  now  for  this  noblest  of  causes, 
yet,  compared  with  the  vast  extent  of  unreclaimed  heathen- 
ism, with  the  bountiful  compass  of  the  divine  command,  or 
with  what  we  can  and  ought  to  do,  our  achievements  are 
matter  much  more  of  humiliation  than  of  mutual  congratu- 
lation. 

The  subject  of  Christian  Missions  having,  in  the  order  of 
discussion,  been  assigned  to  us,  we  proceed  this  evening  to 
present  some  hints  in  relation  to  it,  which  we  trust  will  not 
be  found  unprofitable. 

The  passages  selected  from  the  word  of  God  are  intended 
to  form  rather  the  basis  than  matter  of  discussion;  and  may 
be  considered  more  a continued  motto,  or  running  caption, 
than  as  a text  for  regular  analysis.  The  first  named  passage 


258 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


exhibits  the  divinely  derived  character,  and  appropriate  in- 
fluence of  the  people  of  God.  “ This  people  have  1 formed 
for  myself : they  shall  show  forth  my  praise.”  This  is 
expanded  as  follows  by  the  Apostle  Peter:  ‘‘  Ye  are  a 
chosen  generation.,  a royal  priesthood,  a holy  nation,  a 
peculiar  people;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of 
Him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvel- 
lous light.”*  The  next  portion  refers  to  this  peculiar  and 
chosen  people,  organized  into  a church,  furnished  from  on 
high,  as  the  house  of  God,  with  the  means  of  extending 
“the  truth”  through  the  earth,  and  put  by  its  great  Head 
under  requisition  for  this  labour  of  love.  “ The  house  of 
God,  which  is  the  Church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar 
and  ground  of  the  truth.”  Not  that  the  Church  is  that 
on  which  the  truth  rests,  for  the  truth  rests  on  God  ; and  it 
is  the  action  of  the  truth  by  the  power  of  God  which  called 
the  Church  into  being,  organized  it  into  form,  and  furnished 
it  with  beauty  and  the  means  of  doing  good.  Hence  it  is 
the  effect  of  the  truth,  and,  of  course,  can  never  be  that  on 
which  the  truth  depends,  to  be  what  it  is.  But  it  is  that, 
without  which,  according  to  the  divine  arrangement,  the 
truth  of  God  will  never  be  adequately  extended  in  the 
world.  “ It  is  the  ground  of  the  truth,”  as  God’s  chosen 
seat  on  earth;  where  ‘ his  truth  is  stationed,  supported,  and 
upheld,’ — the  pillar  on  which  the  truth  is  continually  held 
to  view,  as  a public  proclamation  of  mercy  to  a lost  world. 

The  last  passage  represents  to  us  this  Church  in  successful 
action — in  the  work  of  faith  and  the  labour  of  love.  “ From 
you  sounded  out  the  word  of  the  Lord,  not  only  in  Ma- 
cedonia and  Jichaia,  but  in  every  place;  so  that  ye  be- 
came ensamples  to  all  that  believe.  ” 


• 1 Peter  ii.9. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


259 


It  is  taken  for  granted  in  this  discussion,  that  the  glory 
of  God  is  the  great  end  of  all  his  works.  In  his  dealings 
with  our  world,  he  has  made  his  supreme  glory  to  depend 
upon  the  influence  and  final  triumph  of  Christianity.  “He 
has  magnified  his  wore?  above  all  his  name.”*  The  plan 
of  redemption  subordinates  to  itself  all  beings  and  all  things 
in  our  own,  and,  so  far  as  we  know,  in  all  other  worlds. 
“ The  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory, 
hath  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  heavenly  places,  far 
above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  domi- 
nion, and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come,  and  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all 
things  to  the  Church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him 
that  filleth  all  in  all,  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  prin- 
cipalities and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  might  be  known 
by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.”t  In  the 
economy  of  redemption,  man  is  regarded  at  once  as  an 
object  and  an  agent;  as  an  object,  it  proposes  his  eternal 
salvation;  as  an  agent,  he  is  to  be  occupied  in  extending 
the  knowledge  of  this  salvation  to  his  fellow  men,  in  all 
the  world.  By  the  comprehensive  and  general  terms  of 
the  subject,  “Christian  Missions,” J we  are  to  under- 
stand the  nature,  obligations,  importance,  &c.  of  that  work 
in  which  we  are  required  to  engage  as  agents  or  instru- 
ments in  the  hands  of  God,  for  publishing  the  Gospel  to 
every  creature. 

In  examining  this  important  subject,  we  remark; 

I.  That  the  Christian  man  is,  in  the  very  constitution 

* Psalm  cxxxviii.  2.  t Ephes.  i.  17, 20 — 23,  and  iii.  10. 

} A series  of  subjects,  of  which  this  is  one,  had  been  previously  selected, 
and  assigned  to  the  several  speakers. 


260 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


of  his  character,  a missionary;  or,  in  other  words,  that 
which  makes  him  a Christian,  endows  him  in  the  same 
degree  with  the  missionary  spirit  and  in fluence. 

The  Christian  character  and  spirit,  properly  so  called,  are 
peculiar,  original,  and  from  God.  In  the  new  and  divine 
constitution  of  this  character,  the  Christian  differs  in  many 
essential  respects  from  his  fellow  men,  who  are  not  Chris- 
tian, and  from  his  former  self.  A profession  of  religion  is 
a declaration  of  this  difference — the  life  of  a Christian  is  its 
continued  exhibition,  or  it  is  embodied  Christianity.  Our 
first  proposition  is,  that  this  spirit  and  character  are  intrin- 
sically fitted  in  themselves,  and  designed  by  God,  to  ex- 
tend the  influence  of  the  Christian  religion.  In  order  to 
establish  this,  let  us  for  a moment  look  at  some  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing characteristics  of  a Christian. 

The  Christian  is  distinguished  by  a supreme  regard 
for  divine  truth,  and  lives  under  eVs  controlling  influ- 
ence. Divine  truth  exhibits  God  as  he  is,  and  man  as  he 
is,  and  all  things  in  their  true  light  and  just  proportions. 
It  gives  him  right  views  of  time  and  of  eternity,  of  sin,  and 
of  the  soul,  of  the  law  of  God,  of  the  plan  of  redemption 
and  its  glorious  author;  in  a word,  it  gives  right  principles 
of  action,  sets  a true  value  on  all  things,  gives  the  just  ex- 
pression to  all  his  relations,  and  by  reducing  his  knowledge 
into  practical  use,  under  the  divine  Spirit,  makes  the  be- 
liever, in  some  degree,  feel,  and  think,  and  act  like  him 
“ who  has  left  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his 
steps.”* 

Personal  holiness  is  an  essential  characteristic  of  a 
Christian.  “ Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord.”  “ Ye  are  a holy  nation.”  “ If  any  man  be  in 


* 1 Peter  ii.  21. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


261 


Christ,  he  is  a new  creature.”  He  is  renewed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  “being  his  workmanship,”  “created  after  the 
image  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  he  should  walk  in  them.”* 
By  a holy  man,  we  mean  one  cleansed  from  the  pollution 
and  delivered  from  the  curse  of  sin,  and  having  been  made 
so,  is  kept  so  by  the  power  of  God.  Holiness  also  includes 
the  idea  of  dedication  to  God,  being  God’s  temple,  inha- 
bited by  his  Spirit,  and  set  apart  for  his  service.  This  is 
that  ‘beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God  upon  his  people,’  which  is 
seen  of  all  men,  by  which  the  world  take  knowledge  of 
them  that  have  been  with  Jesus,  and  glorify  God  on  their 
behalf.  This  characteristic  will  necessarily  lead  a man  to 
hate  sin  for  its  own  evil  nature,  for  the  indignity  it  offers 
to  a holy  God,  and  for  the  unbounded  ruin  which  it  occa- 
sions; and  will  impel  him  to  seek  its  extinction  every 
where. 

Holy  love  is  a leading  characteristic  of  the  Chris- 
tian. We  can,  of  course,  do  no  more  than  allude  to 
these  qualities,  while  forming  an  argument  out  of  their 
united  force.  But  supreme  love  to  God,  and  a disin- 
terested love  to  his  fellow  men,  is  a summary  expression  of 
the  spirit  and  duty  of  a Christian.  “ Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself.  This  is  the  great  commandment.”t  And  this  love 
God-ward  is  not  a vague  and  heartless  theism,  but  a supreme, 
intelligent,  commanding,  and  practical  affection  for  the 
God  of  the  Bible — God  in  Christ.  And  this  love  of  man 
is  not  a vain  sentiment,  or  a wild  spirit  of  religious  knight 
errantry;  but  a wise,  dutiful,  and  disinterested  love  which 


Ephes.  ii.  10,  and  G)los.  iii.  10. 


t Luke  X.  27.  Math.  xxii.  37. 


262 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


seeks  to  do  good  unto  all  men.  It  is  a faint,  but  real  copy 
of  the  spirit  of  Him  who  so  loved  the  world,  that  though  he 
was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  became  poor,  and  gave  himself 
up  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  that  we  might 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  This  spirit  necessarily 
leads  its  possessor  to  make  every  sacrifice  which  is  clearly 
required,  for  God  and  his  fellow  man. 

7%e  Christian  man  is  characterized  by  holy  obe- 
dience to  God’s  commands.  “ If  ye  love  me,  keep 
my  commandments,”  is  the  great  test  of  Christian  cha- 
racter. “ I esteem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things 
to  be  right,  and  I hate  every  false  way.”  As  sin  is  the 
transgression  of  the  law,  so  he  cannot  be  a holy  man,  a 
Christian,  who  permits  himself  to  live  in  disobedience  to, 
or  any  known  transgression  of,  any  law  of  God.  Now 
he  who  commands  us  in  the  decalogue  to  keep  holy 
the  Sabbath  day,  and  says  “ thou  shalt  not  kill,”  has  also 
said,  “do  good  unto  all  men  as  ye  have  opportunity.”* 
“Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.”  “ Go  teach 
all  nations”  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  who  re- 
quires us,  under  pain  of  eternal  death,  to  obey  the  first  table 
of  the  law  as  to  the  duties  especially  owed  to  God,  under 
the  same  pain,  requires  us  to  obey  the  second  table,  which 
defines  the  sum  of  our  love  and  duty  to  our  neighbour,  and 
especially  to  his  soul;  and  a neglect  of  these  is,  by  emi- 
nence, offensive  to  God,  because  it  kills  the  soul,  beyond 
the  tomb!  “ thou  forbear  to  deliver  them  that  are 
drawn  unto  death,  and  them  that  are  ready  to  be  slain; 
if  thou  sayest  behold  we  knew  it  not,  doth  not  he  that 
pondereth  the  heart  consider  it  ? And  he  that  keepeth 


• Galatians  vi.  10. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


263 


thy  soul,  doth  not  he  know  it  ? And  shall  not  he  ren- 
der to  every  man  according  to  his  workV’"* 

Once  more:  It  is  a distinguishing  characteristic  of  the 
Christian,  that  he  intends  to  glorify  God  in  all  his 
actions.  It  is  one  great  law  of  the  kingdom,  “ Whether 
ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God.”  “Glorify  God  with  your  bodies  and  your  spirits, 
which  are  his.”  But  the  chief  glory  of  God  results  from 
the  triumph  of  the  Gospel.  This  ‘^is  glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  because  it  brings  peace  to  earth,  and  good  will 
to  men.”  To  the  accomplishment,  therefore,  of  this  great 
end,  the  desires,  labours,  sacrifices,  prayers  of  the  believer 
are  directed,  in  a degree  that  is  supreme  and  controlling, 
even  in  his  darkest  and  coldest  hours.  All  things  and  all 
beings  glorify  God  in  some  shape;  but  it  may  be  reluctant, 
extorted,  and  unknown.  “ The  wrath  of  man  praises  him.” 
If  not,  “he  restrains  it.”  But  it  is  the  purpose  and  the 
effort  of  the  Christian  to  give  glory  to  God,  and  especially 
by  the  universal  diffusion  of  the  religion  of  Christ  Now 
this  is  the  very  spirit  and  work  of  missions. 

There  are  other  characteristics  which  distinguish  the  Chris- 
tian, as  the  spirit  of  prayer,  self-denial,  &c.  But  these  just 
named  may  suffice  for  the  present  use.  Now  our  argument 
is,  that  these  qualities  do,  in  their  own  nature,  constitute  a 
missionary  spirit,  and  fit  their  possessor  with  the  divine 
blessing,  to  extend  the  influence  of  Christianity  in  the 
world.  For,  in  the  first  place,  the  very  presence  of  such 
a being  in  such  a world  as  ours,  is  honourable  to  our  holy 
religion,  and  useful  to  his  fellow  men.  Such  a man  is  the 
representative  of  an  unseen  Saviour;  he  is  a specimen  of 
the  religion  which  he  professes;  a practical  proof  of  its 


37 


* Proverbs  xxiv.  11-12. 


264 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


truth,  value,  and  divine  power.  “ He  shows  forth  the 
praises  of  him  who  hath  called  him  out  of  darkness  into 
his  marvellous  light. He  is  an  epistle  of  Christ 
known  and  read  of  all  men.”*  Sometimes  such  a man, 
like  lot  in  Sodom,  stands  the  solitary,  but  yet  expressive 
earnest  of  the  divine  presence  among  a guilty  people;  a 
living  witness  for  the  God  of  heaven;  at  once  their  honour, 
their  reproof,  and  their  security; “Me  salt  of  the  earth, 
the  light  of  the  world.”  But  the  influence  of  such  a man 
is  not  merely  the  result  of  proper  character.  He  is,  in  the 
next  place,  intentionally  and  actively  useful.  His  views  of 
divine  truth  lead  him  to  set  a proper  price  on  man.  He  has 
an  impression  of  the  true  value  and  importance  of  the  soul, 
infinitely  more  just  and  elevated  than  ever  entered  the  cold 
and  narrow  calculations  of  infidel  philosophy.  He  mea- 
sures it  by  the  word  of  God,  in  the  scale  of  an  eternal 
existence;  he  sees  his  ruin  by  sin;  he  beholds  a great  salva- 
tion provided  for  him;  he  takes  truth’s  view  of  all  things, 
and  is  properly  affected  by  them.  His  holiness  makes  him 
hate  sin,  the  common  foe  of  God  and  man,  while  his  love 
for  both  will  impel  him  to  seek  the  honour  of  the  one,  and 
the  eternal  salvation  of  the  other.  His  obedience  to  the 
law  of  God — the  law  of  love,  will  forbid  him  to  stand  still, 
when  the  great  command  sounds  forth  “ Go  ye  unto  all  the 
world,  and  teach  all  nations;”  “let  him  that  heareth  say 
come.”  His  nature  is  an  active  nature;  his  affections  are 
strong  affections,  and  eminently  social.  The  influence  of 
religion  will  give  to  them  intensity,  refinement,  and  ele- 
vation. He  will  labour  where  labour  can  avail.  Where  he 
cannot  go  in  person,  he  will  give  of  his  substance,  and  give 
on  a scale  which  shows  the  greatness  of  his  holy  pity  to  a 


* 2 Cor.  iii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


265 


ruined  world,  and  the  supremacy  of  his  love,  with  the  en- 
tireness of  his  dedication  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He 
will  not  give  grudgingly,  or  by  measure,  unto  that  beloved 
Lord  who  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  for  him.  And 
having  influence  in  heaven  by  his  prayers,  he  will  send 
out  his  alms,  directed  by  his  supplications,  and  by  steady 
and  fervent  intercession,  press  the  throne  of  grace  with  the 
wants  of  a ruined  world.  Oh!  brethren,  is  this  no  more 
than  a lovely  vision — a fair,  but  impracticable  theory! 
When  we  read  the  history  of  the  Church  in  past  ages,  or 
even  look  around  upon  its  professing  millions  now,  in 
search  of  such  examples,  we  may  well  tremble  while  we 
see  the  truth  still  indicated,  that  only  a remnant  shall  he 
saved.”  But  yet  the  character  is  not  ideal.  God  requires 
this  very  spirit  at  our  hands.  It  is  that,  and  that  alone, 
with  which  we  can  enter  heaven. 

It  is  then  apparent,  that  the  very  constitution  of  the 
Christian  character,  is  missionary  in  its  nature,  and  that 
what  makes  a man  a Christian,  endows  him  in  the  same 
measure  with  the  spirit  and  influence  of  missions. 

II.  We  remark  that  the  Church  of  God  is  essentially, 
in  its  organization,  and  in  the  purpose  of  God,  a Mis- 
sionary institution. 

We  speak,  of  course,  of  the  visible  Church  catholic,  pro- 
perly so  called.  The  Church  of  God  was  established,  in 
order  to  keep  alive  and  extend  the  true  religion  in  the 
world,  and  thus  to  glorify  God  in  the  salvation  of  men. 
It  has  been  essentially  the  same  institution  during  the  seve- 
ral dispensations  through  which  it  has  passed;  and  every 
successive  development  of  its  scheme  of  mercy  to  mankind, 
has  added  new  sanctions  and  helps  to  its  missionary  consti- 
tution. 


266 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


If,  as  we  have  shown,  the  individual  Christian  who  truly 
possesses,  and  properly  displays  the  spirit  of  his  religion, 
is  a missionary  man;  when  united  into  a society,  with  the 
accession  of  power,  under  God,  peculiar  to  combined  action, 
and  when  invested  from  on  high  with  corporate  rights,  and 
qualifications  for  the  work  of  missions,  the  body  thus  orga- 
nized must  be,  in  the  highest  form,  a missionary  institution. 

The  Church  is  a social  institution.  “A  chosen  ^enera- 
tion,  a holy  nation,  a peculiar  people,  called  out  of  dark- 
ness into  God’s  marvellous  light.”  Each  living  member, 
of  course,  brings  into  the  body,  if  we  may  speak  so,  in 
his  person  an  accession  to  the  common  stock  of  mis- 
sionary influence.  Thus  united  to  Christ,  the  common 
head,  and  being  all  members  one  of  another,  “ the  whole 
body  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that  which 
every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working 
in  the  measure  ofi  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body, 
unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  loved’*  and  in  the  same  de- 
gree is  it  fitted  for  harmonious  and  efiicient  action,  in  the 
work  of  faith  and  the  labour  of  love. 

But,  besides  the  relation  of  society,  or  the  collective  ef- 
fects of  numbers,  “the  house  of  God,  which  is  the  Church 
of  the  living  God,”  is  eminently  a missionary  institu- 
tion in  its  furniture.  For  this  “ peculiar  people”  are  en- 
dowed by  their  sovereign  for  the  work  of  missions.  It  is  in  the 
sense  already  explained,  that  the  Church  is  “ the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth.”  To  her  “ are  committed  the  oracles  of 
God, ’’and  that  not  for  her  own  manifold  “advantage”  alone,’^ 
but  as  a depository  of  the  matchless  blessings  therein  revealed, 
for  all  the  world.  “ The  truth  by  which  she  is  sanctified,” 


Ephea.  iv.  5. 


t Roms.  iii.  2. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


267 


is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  for  cleaving  the  closed  hearts  of 
men,  and  thus  opening  their  darkened  understandings  to  the 
light  of  an  eternal  day.  And  in  order  to  give  to  this  people 
the  standing  means  to  “show  forth  God’s  praise,”  his  public 
worship  is  established,  and  sustained  by  his  authority.  The 
ordinances  of  his  house  are  observed,  and  its  sacred  rites 
performed  in  public,  with  direct  reference  to  the  pre- 
sence and  the  good  of  men.  And  with  infinite  wisdom  and 
mercy,  a day,  originally  set  apart  to  celebrate  God’s  praise, 
and  keep  alive  the  knowledge  of  Him  in  the  world,  is 
turned  to  the  peculiar  use  of  publishing  the  salvation  of  the 
Gospel.  It  is  in  an  emphatic  and  peculiar  sense,  the  Lord’s 
day;  and  returning,  in  the  measured  and  rapid  revolutions 
of  each  succeeding  week,  renews  to  the  listening  earth  the 
evidences  of  his  resurrection,  and  the  incessant  calls  of  his 
mercy. 

In  addition  to  all  this,  there  is  an  order  of  men,  given 
by  God  to  the  Church,  set  apart  for  the  special  purpose 
of  ministering  in  his  house,  and  of  preaching  to  all  men 
the  Gospel  of  his  Son.  The  ministers  of  reconcilia- 
tion, if  truly  called  of  God,  go  forth,  furnished  for 
their  work  by  his  holy  Spirit,  as  well  as  commission- 
ed by  his  authority.  This  is  his  chosen  method  of  mis- 
sionary effort;  it  has  been  selected  by  his  wisdom,  and 
is  made  successful  by  his  Almighty  power.  Now  this  great 
mean  of  evangelizing  the  nations  of  the  earth,  is  commit- 
ted, if  we  may  say  so,  to  the  fostering  care  of  the  Church 
of  God.  She  is,  under  God,  the  mother  of  her  ministering 
sons.  The  Head  of  the  Church  gives  them  unto  her  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  “ When  he  ascended  on  high 
he  gave  gifts  to  men:  he  gave  some  apostles,  and  some 
prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and 


268 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


teachers,  for  the  works  of  the  ministry.”*  And  God  is 
prepared  to  give  them  in  sufficient  numbers,  and  in  heavenly 
fitness,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  and  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  world,  whenever  the  Church  truly  asks  them  at 
his  hands,  and  is  really  prepared  to  make  the  necessary  sa- 
crifices, in  order  to  train  them,  and  send  them  forth  under 
the  great  commission,  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 

But  the  Church  of  God  is  attended  hy  the  Spirit  of 
God,  to  give  direction  and  effect  to  her  missionary  ac- 
tion. Each  believer,  as  such,  is  “ a temple  of  God,”  that 
is,  a spiritual  man  sanctified  by  the  Spirit,  led  by  the  Spi- 
rit, his  graces  the  gifts  and  adornings  of  the  Spirit:  and  each 
minister,  who  is  truly  such,  is  personally  and  officially  at- 
tended by  the  Spirit:  and  the  collective  body  of  Christians 
has  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  midst  of  - it.  Even  to 

two,  and  to  three,  is  this  Spirit  promised  by  the  gracious 
Head  of  the  Church;  and  He  dwells  perpetually  in  the 
Church,  as  the  divine  representative  of  Jesus,  as  her 
Holy  Paraclete  and  Guide ; and  goes  forth,  “ without  mea- 
sure,” amidst  the  administrations  of  the  Gospel  to  convince 
men  of  sin,  and  to  convert  them  unto  God.  It  is  the  glory 
of  the  Gospel,  that  it  is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit;  and 
that  the  Church  is  inhabited  and  attended  by  His  perpetual 
presence.  Thus  “ all  the  body  fitly  framed  together,  grow- 
eth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord;  in  whom  his  peo- 
ple are  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit. ”\ 

And  while  the  Spirit  of  Truth  is  thus  vouchsafed  to  the 
Church,  as  an  abiding  gift,  there  “are  seasons  of  refreshing 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,”  in  which  this  greatest  of 
blessings  is  dispensed  with  peculiar  plenitude  and  power; 


Ephes.  iv.  8.  11 — 12. 


t Ephes.  ii.  21 — 22. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


269 


when  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  a simultaneous  and  diffusive  work 
of  grace,  gives  new  impulse  to  his  people  in  the  divine 
life,  and  converts  great  numbers  of  sinners  unto  God. 
These  special  and  illustrious  occasions  hasten,  in  an  especial 
degree,  the  conversion  of  the  world.  They  outrun  the  or- 
dinary means  of  grace;  they  transcend  all  the  resistance  of 
men  and  devils,  and  divinely  furnish  a faithful  and  revived 
Church  from  on  high,  for  spreading  to  all  lands  the  saving 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God. 

We  might  add,  that  the  Church  is  a self-perpetuat- 
ing institution,  and  thus,  under  th©  divine  blessing,  is  fitted 
to  extend  her  influence  from  generation  to  generation.  And 
it  is  equally  true,  that  success  from  God  is  promised  to  the 
proper  action  of  the  Church  in  sending  abroad  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  But  we  have  dwelt  sufficiently  on  these  suggestions, 
to  answer  the  end  in  view,  which  is  to  show  that  the  Church 
is  furnished  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  great  work 
of  missions,  by  her  glorious  Head.  She  has  numbers  and 
union;  she  has  the  truth  and  its  preachers;  the  social  ordi- 
nances of  religion,  and  the  time,  and  the  opportunities,  for 
their  public,  ever-returning  and  successful  administration; 
and  the  Eternal  Spirit  attends  his  truth,  and  gives  divine 
effect  to  the  calls  and  labours  of  the  Church. 

What  then  is  wanting,  (to  say  no  more,)  towards  a mis- 
sionary institution  ? And  how  apparent  is  the  intention  of  its 
divine  Author  in  its  entire  constitution  ? Is  it  not  the  very 
husbandry  (plantation,  or  nursery)  of  God,  from  which  every 
wind  that  blows  should  waft  its  odours  abroad;  and  carry 
forth  its  winged-seeds  to  every  forest,  and  »to  every  field ! 

But  it  is  time  that  we  pass,  in  the  third  place,  to  consi- 
der the  direct  commands  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  to 
the  work  of  missions.  What  we  infer  from  the  organiza- 


270 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


tion  and  furniture  of  the  Church,  we  learn  explicitly  from 
the  standing  laws  of  Christ,  that  the  work  of  missions  is 
commanded  duty  of  the  Church.  “Duty,”  (as  has  been 
admirably  said  by  a modern  missionary,  now  in  the  field)* 

“ resulting  from  the  command  of  Christ — obligation 
founded  on  the  authority  of  Christ,  is  the  great  argument 
in  behalf  of  missions.” 

* William  Swan,  Missionary  in  Siberia.  The  following’  remarks  are  so 
apposite  and  forcible,  that  we  cannot  forbear  to  give  them  a place  here : — 

“ Suppose  an  order  issued  from  the  highest  authority  in  the  kingdom,  re- 
quiring certain  faithful  subjects  to  perform  a specific  service  in  the  character 
of  soldiers,  and  commanding  all  faithful  subjects  generally  to  be  aiding  to  the 
utmost  of  their  power  in  the  execution  of  the  will  of  theii;  sovereign.  In  urg- 
ing the  people  to  obedience,  what  would  be  the  most  obvious,  and  we  might 
almost  say,  exclusive  topic  that  could  present  itself  in  the  way  of  argument? 
unquestionably  the  authority  of  the  command.  It  must  not  be  resisted.  It 
must  not  be  neglected.  It  is  at  the  peril  of  the  sovereign’s  displeasure  and 
the  loss  of  character — and,  it  may  be,  under  the  pain  of  condign  punishment, 
if  it  be  not  fulfilled.  It  would  be  self-evident  that  no  one  could  justly  retain 
the  character  of  a loyal  subject  if  he  disobeyed  ; and  he  must  forfeit  the  es- 
teem and  confidence  of  his  better  affected  brethren  if  he  not  merely  should 
refuse  obedience,  but  should  attempt  to  justify  his  conduct.” 

“ I feel  that  this  illustration,  as  indeed  every  illustration  taken  from  earthly 
and  sensible  objects,  must  fall  short  of  the  paramount  authority  of  the  com- 
mand of  the  King  and  Head  of  the  Church,  in  reference  to  the  extension  of 
his  kingdom  and  the  subjection  of  all  nations  to  Him.  An  eartlily  king  is  a 
mortal  man,  and  he  may  err  through  ignorance  or  passion.  His  commands 
may  be  the  dictates  of  cruelty,  or  imbecility,  or  ambition,  or  a wanton  exer- 
cise of  power ; but  even  allowing  his  will  to  be  in  all  respects  accordant  to 
the  principles  of  the  strictest  justice  and  highest  honour  and  universal  bene- 
volence— his  subjects  can  never  be  under  such  obligations  to  obey  him,  as 
Christians  are  to  “ lying  every  thought  into  subjection  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ.”  And  if  any  one  should  disregard  his  authority,  I would  not  endea- 
vour to  work  upon  that  man’s  mind  by  any  other  consideration.  I allow 
other  arguments  a place,  but  that  place  is  a lower  one  than  the  authority  of 
Christ.” 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.  271 

The  ultimate  appeal  is  to  the  authority  of  God.  What 
then  does  He  command.  Jlnd  Jesus  came  and  spake 
unto  them,  saying,  Ml  power  is  given  unto  me  in  hea- 
ven and  in  earth.  Go  ye,  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I have  commanded  you,  and  lo  ! I am  with 
you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.’’  “ Go  ye 
into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture; he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved-,  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.”  “ And  he  said  un- 
to them,  thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to 
suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day;  and  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in 
his  name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem; 
and  ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things.”*  Such  is  the  lan- 
guage of  standing,  sovereign  law.  It  was  addressed,  it  is 
true,  to  but  a little  band;  but  it  was  to  the  Church,  and  for 
the  Church,  and  the  entire  Church.  It  extends  to  all  who 
have  an  interest  in  Christ,  and  to  all  who  ever  heard  of 
Christ;  and  he  who  would  excuse  himself  from  its  obliga- 
tion, shuts  himself  out  from  the  blessings  it  announces.  It 
runs  to  the  last  day — and  the  last  man.  It  is  the  great  law 
of  the  Lord:  it  comprehends  all  the  rest.  Though  the  di- 
rect and  official  work  of  “ preaching  the  Gospel”  regards 
especially  the  ministers  of  Christ,  yet  the  ministers  must 
spring  from  the  Church;  they  must  be  sent  forth  by  the 
Church;  and  the  only  choice  of  every  one  in  the  Church,  is 
between  going  or  sending;  between  preaching  the  Gospel, 
or  causing  it  to  be  preached.  It  is  under  law,  the  royal  law, 

* Matt,  xxviii.  18 — 20.  Mark  xvi.  15 — 16.  Luke  xxiv.  46 — 48. 


38 


272 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


that  the  Church  of  God  is  required  to  do  this.  ‘‘For  who- 
soever shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved. 
How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not 
believed?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they 
have  not  heard?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a preacher? 
And  how  shall  they  preach,  except  they  he  sent?” 

Now  the  whole  duty  comprehends  all  the  parts  essential 
to  its  constituent  character,  and  the  end  includes  the  means 
necessary  to  its  accomplishment.  Therefore,  as  they  can- 
not hear  without  a preacher,  nor  preach  except  they  be 
sent,  so  they  cannot  be  sent,  except  they  be  trained.  If 
others  may  train  them,  the  Church  must  do  it,  or  sin 
against  the  fundamental  law  of  the  kingdom.  If  others 
may  train  them,  she  alone,  in  her  official  character,  can 
ordain  them  for  the  work  of  the  ministry;  and  she  cannot 
divest  herself  any  more  of  the  duty  to  send  them  forth, 
than  she  can  alienate,  or  delegate  to  another,  her  ordaining 
rights,  or  her  love  and  duty  to  her  risen  Lord. 

While  all  the  people  of  God  agree  that  the  Church  of 
Christ  is  thus  bound  to  send  forth  the  Gospel,  they  differ 
as  to  the  form  of  doing  it.  Some  prefer  the  action  of  the 
Church,  as  such,  in  her  ecclesiastical  organization;  while 
others  choose  an  association,  (unhappily  denominated  volun- 
tary, since  the  ecclesiastical  is  voluntary  too,)  not  officially 
the  Church,  nor  the  ordaining  body,  nor  directly  consti- 
tuted by  it,  or  responsible  to  it;  but  formed  for  the  same 
great  end.  The  most  important  part  is  to  do  the  work, 
AND  to  do  it  at  ONCE ; and  none  but  God’s  people  ever 
will  do  it.  But  surely  it  is  also  important,  that  it  be  pro- 
perly done,  since  on  it  will,  in  a great  measure,  depend 
both  the  speed  and  the  efficiency  of  the  service.  It  will 
not  be  denied,  that  the  Church,  as  such,  ought  to  do  what 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


273 


she  can  in  this  cause;  and  we  suppose  it  will  be  allowed, 
that  if  her  ecclesiastical  action  be  equally  good,  it  ought  to 
be  preferred  to  any  other  form.  And  as  the  preliminary 
acts,  such  as  receiving  the  candidate  for  the  ministry  into 
her  communion,  ordaining  him  for  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try, &c.  are  peculiar  to  the  Church,  so  there  would  seem  to 
be  a special  fitness  and  unity  in  her  carrying  forward  the 
entire  work,  from  first  to  last.  And  as  the  Church,  as  such, 
is,  without  a question,  responsible  to  God  for  the  universal 
publication  of  the  Gospel,  it  w’ould  seem  to  be  proper,  re- 
quisite, and  even  obligatory,  to  subordinate  to  her  ultimate 
direction,  the  agents  and  the  operations  by  which  it  is 
accomplished.  If  the  organization  of  any  Church  necessa- 
rily unfits  it  for  the  work  of  missions,  in  its  proper  person, 
then  we  should  think  it  time  to  question  the  authority  of 
that  Church,  and  its  conformity  to  the  principles  of  Gospel 
constitution  and  order.  Not  that  mere  adaptation  to  mis- 
sionary action  is  an  evidence  of  this  conformity;  but  to  be 
without  it,  seems  incompatible  with  the  very  genius  of  an 
institution,  which  has  been  organized  and  commissioned  for 
the  conversion  of  the  world. 

To  convince  us  that  the  organized  Church  can  do  the 
work,  we  need  not  look  beyond  the  very  striking  spe- 
cimens afforded  to  the  world  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
circuit  system  at  home,  or  that  of  the  United  Brethren 
abroad.  While  we  consider  neither  of  these  schemes  a 
perfect  model,  yet  they  stand  forth  to  the  view  of  reproved 
and  admiring  Christendom,  illustrious  examples  of  what 
the  Church,  in  her  organized  form  can  do,  to  save  the 
world.  Especially  do  we  admire,  while  we  gaze  upon  it,  the 
unparalleled  self-devotion  and  attendant  success  of  the 
labours  of  our  Moravian  brethren.  They  pitched  their 


274 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


tents  in  the  open  plain,  like  two  little  flocks  of  kids,  before  an 
enemy  that  well  nigh  filled  the  world.*  But  God  was  with 
them,  and  they  have  sent  through  all  the  earth  the  praises  of 
Him  in  whose  name  they  have  prevailed.  May  they  never 
loose  that  godly  simplicity,  that  supreme  faith,  that  disin- 
terested self-denial  and  holy  love,  which  have  made  the 
page  that  records  their  labours,  the  most  brilliant  in  the 
history  of  missions! 

In  regard  to  our  own  institutions,  we  freely  acknowledge 
that  we  have  been  far  from  realizing  our  hopes  or  our  duty 
in  doing  good.  But  the  defect  has  been  in  us,  not  in  our 
system.  The  organization  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  fits 
it,  in  no  ordinary  measure,  for  combined  and  efficient  action, 
to  an  unlimited  extent.  The  gradation  of  its  various  eccle- 
siastical bodies,  through  the  whole  line  of  which  the  great 
principle  of  representation  runs,  renders  it  next  to  impossi- 
ble to  usurp  power,  and  entirely  so  to  hold  it  long:  and  the 
continued  responsibility  of  its  peculiar  institutions  to  the 
whole  Church,  gives  unity,  without  consolidation,  and 
secures  supervision,  without  impairing  efficiency. 

One  reason  why  we  are  so  earnestly  desirous  that  our 
Church  should  be  occupied  in  her  ecclesiastical  character 
in  the  conversion  of  the  world  is,  the  happy  influence  it 
must  exert  upon  its  various  official  bodies,  as  well  as  on  the 
spirit  of  the  people  at  large.  The  very  name  by  which  we 
are  accustomed  to  define  them,  “ Church-courts,”  indicates 
that  they  have  been  too  exclusively  devoted  to  conducting 
business  and  directing  discipline,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
specific  work  of  missions. 

Again;  if  others  feed,  and  clothe,  and  train,  and  establish 


1 Kings  XX.  27. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


275 


Our  children,  and  leave  to  us  only  the  duty  of  government 
and  of  the  rod,  our  children  may  give  to  our  authority  a 
cold  assent,  but  their  hearts  will  flow  out  after  their  bene- 
factors. The  parent’s  sweetest  privilege,  which  blesses  him 
in  blessing  them,  is  to  give  to  his  children.  In  its  place, 
discipline  also  is  a duty.  But  these  are  relative  and  insepa- 
rable; they  are  wisely  and  mercifully  blended  in  the  same 
person;  and  are  necessary  to  the  right  support  of  the  respec- 
tive relations  of  parent  and  child.  And  so  it  is  with  the 
ecclesiastical  relations.  For  the  sake  of  our  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  and  of  our  ofiicial  bodies,  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of 
the  people,  these  great  duties,  joined  together  by  God,  ought 
never  to  be  put  asunder  by  man.  The  bodies  who  act  in  these 
benevolent  institutions,  both  directly  and  in  general  supervi- 
sion, if  properly  engaged  in  them,  would  find  it  their  most 
pleasant,  honoured,  and  useful  occupation;  and  it  would  bind 
our  youth  and  the  people  in  love  and  confidence  to  the  judi- 
catures of  the  Church,  while  it  would  make  every  eccle- 
siastical body  an  apostolical  assembly  for  doing  good.  * 

* It  is  due  to  ourselves,  and  the  noble  institutions  of  our  age  and  land, 
■which  have  arisen  in  aid  of  the  various  benevolent  operations  of  the  day, 
here  explicitly  to  declare,  that  we  do  most  cordially  approve  them ; that  we 
think  them  highly  necessary,  as  well  as  greatly  useful,  and  that  they  can  no 
more  be  dispensed  with  by  the  several  great  families  of  the- Church  of  God, 
than  each  family  can  dispense  with  its  peculiar  institutions  and  ecclesiastical 
order.  Without  interference  with  the  proper  action  of  the  Church,  as  such, 
they  sustain  the  union,  and  extend  the  influence  of  the  people  of  God,  and 
afford  a fine  moral  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ; “ that  they 
all  may  be  one,  as  thou.  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I in  thee,  that  they  also  may 
be  one  in  us : that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.”  John 
xvii.  17.  And  we  are  equally  far  from  intending  to  assail  those  valuable 
sister  institutions,  which  are  now  carrying  forward  in  our  own  Church,  by 
■voluntary  associations,  the  work  of  missions,  either  foreign  or  domestic,  or 
of  education  for  the  ministry.  Their  existence  is  called  for  by  the  present  cir- 


276 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


But  however  this  question  may  be  settled,  as  to  the 
form  of  the  service,  (in  the  discussion  of  which  we  have 
already  been  too  long  engaged,)  the  work  must  be  done  by 
the  Church  of  the  living  God.  Nothing  can  be  more  clear 
or  urgent,  than  the  divine  command  respecting  this  duty; 
and  we  need  rather  to  be  incited,  with  all  speed  to  obey  it, 
than  to  be  reasoned  with  in  evidence  of  its  obligation.  Is 
it  borne  in  mind  by  the  people  of  God,  that  obedience  to 
this  standing  law  is  a discriminating  test  of  our  fidelity  and 
devotion  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? If  ye  love  me,  keep 
my  commandments,  is  his  own  aflfecting  standard  of  Chris- 
tian character.  And  how  can  we  love  him,  and  yet  forget 
or  violate  his  great,  his  last  command?  To  this,  he  set  the 
seal  of  his  own  blood  in  death.  To  this,  he  added  the  sanc- 
tion of  divine  authority  and  power,  when  he  arose  from 
the  dead.  In  this,  all  other  commands  centre.  The  ser- 
vice it  enjoins  is  in  the  direct  line  of  the  operation  of  provi- 
dence, the  work  of  redemption,  and  the  glory  of  God.  To 
this  is  appended,  the  overwhelming  condition  of  heaven  or 
hell,  the  decisive  alternative  of  redemption  or  ruin;  and 
when  he  ascended  on  high,  he  appointed  obedience  to  this 
command,  not  only  as  the  test  of  his  people’s  love,  but  as 
the  supreme  method  of  doing  honour  to  Him,  and  good  to 
man.  In  a word,  however  our  patient  and  injured  Lord 
may  have  borne  with  the  ignorance  and  lethargy  of  other 
ages,  now  that  channels  for  missionary  charity  and  effort 

cumstances  of  the  Church ; their  continuance  is  necessary  to  call  out  its 
entire  resources ; and  peace  will  be  best  secured,  by  the  spirit  of  an'cnlarged 
and  mutual  toleration.  But  yet  we  insist  that  the  organizations  of  the 
Church  are  binding  on  her  and  her  people  ; that  they  are  peculiarly  adapted 
to  the  end  intended ; and  without  them  the  Presbyterian  Church  cannot  long 
exist  in  its  present  form. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


277 


are  opened  to  our  very  doors,  from  the  most  distant  Hea- 
then lands — all  disregard  of  this  great  law,  is  to  be  esteemed 
a deliberate  and  continued  sin;  and  as  the  effect  of  disobe- 
dience is  to  prevent  Christ’s  kingdom  from  being  set  up  in 
the  world,  it  is  no  less  than  high  treason  against  the  Son  of 
God. 

While  the  authority  of  God  is  the  supreme  reason  for 
missionary  effort,  yet  there  are  other  and  most  affecting 
considerations,  which  cannot  properly  be  omitted  in  such 
an  inquiry  as  this. 

Consider,  then,  in  the  fourth  place, 

The  spiritual  state  and  prospects  of  the  Heathen, 
without  the  Gospel. 

We  here  waive  a discussion  of  the  state  of  those  who 
have  heard  the  Gospel,  and  rejected  its  merciful  provisions, 
taking  it  for  granted,  that  there  can  be  no  difference  among 
Christians  as  to  their  guilt  and  exposure  to  eternal  death. 

In  our  attempts  to  assert  the  claims  of  foreign  missions, 
we  have  too  commonly  taken  for  granted,  that  the  great 
body  of  professed  Christians  was  correctly  informed  as  to 
the  spiritual  condition  and  prospects  of  those  who  have 
never  heard  the  Gospel.  We  forget  that  the  objects  of  their 
compassion  are  out  of  their  sight.  They  seldom  hear  of 
them.  They  seldom  think  of  them.  When  they  do,  there 
is  nothing  definite  or  palpable  before  the  mind  as  to  their 
religious  state.  They  feel  a vague  pity  for  distant  and 
endangered  nations,  whose  condition  they  would  gladly 
better.  But  they  hardly  apprehend  their  exposure  to  eter- 
nal ruin:  they  scarcely  believe  it.  And  while  they  thus 
think  and  feel,  perhaps  the  teachers  of  religion  among  them 
shrink  with  a false  and  fatal  sensibility  from  the  proper 
exhibition  of  the  awful  subject:  or  if  they  are  faithful,  the 


278 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


people  too  often  view  it  with  suspicion  as  a romantic  cause, 
partaking  of  the  nature  of  a religious  crusade,  and  wasting 
without  profit  the  treasures  of  the  Church. 

But  what  is  in  fact  the  divine  testimony  on  this  question? 
The  following  propositions  no  Christian  can,  we  think, 
consistently  reject,  viz: 

1.  That  in  all  ages  since  the  fall,  the  natural  state  of  every 
man  has  been  a sinful,  and  therefore  a lost,  one. 

2.  Hence  no  man  in  any  age  or  country  can  reach  the 
kingdom  of  God,  without  the  interposition  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  his  behalf. 

3.  God  may  interpose  for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  as  he 
does  in  the  case  of  those  saved  in  infancy,  and  of  those  who 
received  immediate  revelations,  before  the  written  word 
was  given. 

4.  But  the  decided  intimations  of  the  Bible  are,  that  as  a 
great  fact,  Jesus  Christ  is  revealed  to  adult  men,  through 
the  ordinary  means  of  grace  alone.  “For  whosoever  shall 
call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.  How  then 
shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed? 
And  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard?  And  how  shall  they  hear  without  a preacher?  And 
how  shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent?  So  then,  faith 
cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.”* 
And  that  this  is  the  clear  import  of  this  passage,  none  can 
doubt  who  will  look  at  its  connexion.  According  to  the 
second  proposition,  all  are  lost  who  are  not  saved  by  Jesus 
Christ.  And  then  the  prospect  of  salvation  to  those  who 
have  not  the  Gospel,  is  in  proportion  to  the  probability  that 
Jesus  Christ  will  save  them  by  direct  interposition. 


Rom.  X.  13, 14, 15. 17. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


279 


5.  A holy*  man  has  never  been  found  on  earth,  so  far  as 
we  know,  since  a written  revelation  was  given,  who  had 
not  been  made  so  by  the  power  of  the  Gospel.  No  apostle, 
no  foreign  missionary,  has  ever  reported  a single  case  of  this 
character.  And  yet  they  have  traversed  every  sea,  ex- 
plored every  country,  and  in  some  age  and  form,  offered 
the  Saviour  to  almost  every  nation  under  heaven.  Now 
allowing  that  men  are  made  holy  in  heathen  lands,  without 
the  instrumentality  of  the  Gospel,  yet  when  that  Gospel  is 
made  known  to  them,  would  not  such  persons  instantly  re- 
ceive it,  and  with  spiritual  relish  adopt  it  for  their  own,  as 
kindred  sunbeams  mingle  into  one?  But  no  such  persons  have 
ever  been  found,  since  a written  revelation  was  given,  unless 
indeed  Cornelius,  the  centurion,  be  considered  an  example. 
Allowing  him  to  be  such,  how  sadly  solitary  is  the  speci- 
men! But  the  apostle  distinctly  declares  in  his  sermon  on 
that  memorable  occasion,  that  Cornelius  and  his  household 
were  already  acquainted  with  God’s  written  revelation  to 
the  Jews;  with  the  doctrine  and  baptism  of  John;  and  with 
the  work  and  ministry  of  the  Son  of  God.t 

The  inhabitants  of  the  Sandwich  islands  made  perhaps 
the  nearest  approach  to  this.  They  abolished  idolatry, 
though  ignorant  of  Christianity.  But  when  Christian  mis- 
sionaries arrived,  they  found  them  unholy  and  degraded  men, 
having  no  taste  for  a spiritual  religion,  and  like  all  other 
sinners,  needing  the  renovating  grace  of  God  to  fit  them 
for  heaven:  and  any  previous  changes  had  been  little  more 
than  the  wearing  out  of  an  obsolete,  impure,  and  idolatrous 


* We  use  this  word,  of  course,  iu  the  Gk)spel  sense ; not  to  mean  perfect, 
but  religiously  dedicated  to  God,  and  delivered  from  the  dominion  of  sin. 

+ Acts  X.  36 — 39. 


39 


280 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


religion,  which  had  been  outgrown  by  their  wants,  and 
made  no  response  to  their  cry  for  succour. 

Again;  if  such  cases  of  salvation  without  the  Gospel 
were  numerous  enough  to  justify  the  pleasing  hope  of  an 
extensive  redemption,  surely  out  of  hundreds  of  millions  of 
men,  and  through  a series  of  ages,  multitudes  would  be 
found  exhibiting  the  evidences  of  having  felt  its  influence. 
Such  cases  as  Job,  and  Jethro,  and  Lot,  and  Melchisedec, 
and  Abraham,  might  be  looked  for  in  every  land.  But  no 
missionary  or  apostle,  as  far  as  we  know,  has  been  ever 
cheered  by  the  discovery  of  a single  case.  While  then  the 
hope  still  trembles  in  our  breasts,  that  some  may  be  redeem- 
ed by  the  direct  interposition  of  God  through  Christ,  yet 
who  that  loves  the  Saviour,  or  the  souls  of  men,  would  make 
this  the  exclusive  ground,  or  in  any  degree  the  ground,  on 
which  to  rest  the  salvation  of  the  heathen?  Or  who  that 
believes  the  word  of  God,  would  suspend  his  own  eternal 
life  upon  such  a condition?  With  these  overwhelming  facts 
full  in  view,  we  are  in  some  measure  prepared  to  under- 
stand and  feel  the  urgency  of  those  motives  which  press  us 
to  send  forth  the  Gospel,  as  “on  the  wings  of  the  morning,” 
to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  Here  we  may  know 
the  meaning  of  our  Master  when  he  tells  us,  that  he  will 
require  their  blood  at  our  hands,  if  we  neglect  our  moment- 
ous duty  to  them.  Here,  with  the  map  of  the  world  before 
us,  we  may  survey  whole  continents  immersed  in  Pagan 
darkness,  and  count  the  innumerable  millions  of  heathen 
population;  and  looking  up  into  heaven  and  down  into  hell, 
may  calculate  the  worth  of  all  their  souls  by  the  value  we 
set  on  our  own.  He  who  can  look  unmoved  at  such  a 
spectacle,  cannot  be  a Christian,  and  is  devoid  of  the  sym- 
pathies common  to  all  the  race. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


281 


In  fine,  there  is  one  view,  in  which  all  Christians  can 
meet,  and  which  directly  transfers  this  awful  subject  from 
our  sympathies,  to  our  consciences,  and  identifies  our  perso- 
nal interests,  in  some  degree,  with  the  state  and  prospects  of 
the  heathen  world.  It  is  this,  that  however  we  settle  in  our 
own  minds  the  question  of  their  condition  in  a future  world, 
our  own  will,  in  a degree,  depends  upon  the  way  we  feel  and 
act  and  give  for  their  salvation:  and  God  has  declared,  that 
when  we  withhold  the  Gospel  from  them.  He  will  treat  us 
precisely  as  if  they  were  lost;  and  lost  by  our  disobedience. 

Consider,  in  the  fifth  place,  in  affecting  contrast  with 
the  last  view,  the  very  limited  extent  of  Christianity  in 
the  loorld.  It  is  not  now  our  place  to  inquire  into  the  cause 
of  this,  but  into  the  fact.  It  may  be  proper,  however,  in 
passing,  to  remark,  that  the  cause  is  chiefly  to  be  sought  in 
the  inefficiency  of  the  Christian  Church.  But  that  such  is 
the  fact,  no  one  can  doubt,  who  is  at  all  acquainted  with  the 
history  and  present  state  of  the  world.  After  the  many  ages 
which  have  elapsed  since  the  command  was  given  to  make 
Christianity  universally  known,  how  little  has  been  done  to- 
wards this  result!  The  Church  has  always  been  kept  alive 
in  the  world:  and  millions,  without  number,  have  been 
saved  from  eternal  ruin,  by  her  instrumentality.  But  the 
great  mass  of  men,  in  the  successive  generations  which  have 
passed  into  eternity  since  the  death  of  Christ,  have  been 
strangers  to  his  religion.  And  even  in  this  age  of  the  world, 
not  one-fourth  part  of  the  population  of  the  earth  have  even 
heard  of  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  Look  at  the  whole  conti- 
nent of  Africa,  lying  under  the  thick  darkness  of  Mahome- 
dan  delusion,  or  of  pagan  superstition:  converted  by  Chris- 
tian America  and  Christian  Europe  into  a field  of  blood, 
a market,  where  men  are  bought  and  sold!  Look  at  India, 


282 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


and  China,  and  the  Islands  of  the  Sea.  What  has  been  done 
toward  giving  them  the  Gospel?  The  whole  force  of  our  mis- 
sionaries abroad,  if  distributively  disposed,  would  scarcely  af- 
ford a pastor  for  a nation;  and  the  points  of  their  impres- 
sion, on  a world  in  ruins,  break  at  distant  intervals  on  the 
view. 


“ Like  sunny  islets,  in  a stormy  sea, 

Like  specks  of  azure,  in  a cloudy  sky.” 

At  this  moment,  the  race  as  such  may  be  said  to  be  still  a 
revolted,  lost  race;  and  at  the  present  speed  of  our  efforts 
for  its  recovery,  though  greatly  accelerated  in  latter  years, 
the  world  will  never  be  saved! 

VI,  Our  next  suggestion  is,  that  the  best  interests  of  the 
'Church  of  Christ  at  home  require  her  to  he  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  missions. 

What  we  mean  to  say  is,  that  the  Church,  as  well  as  the 
world,  gains  by  this  service;  and  that  it  is  even  as  necessary 
to  the  healthful  action  of  the  Church,  as  it  is  to  the  salvation 
of  the  world. 

One  of  the  most  extraordinary  facts  in  the  history  of  the 
present  age  is,  that  a grave  attempt  had  been  made,  in  the 
name  of  religion,  to  prove  that  the  Church  and  the  domestic 
field  are  in  danger  from  an  excessive  issue  of  foreign  mis- 
sionaries. We  regret  that  we  cannot  present  in  a tabular 
view,  the  number  of  evangelical  ministers  in  the  world  who 
are  labouring  in  what  is  called  the  domestic  field,  with  the 
amount  of  their  hearers  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other 
the  number  of  evangelical  missionaries,  with  the  amount  of 
heathen  population  in  the  world. 

In  such  a view,  the  disparity  would  be  made  to  appear 
unspeakably  great  and  awful.  By  the  scale  it  afforded  us. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


283 


more  millions  would  be  assigned  to  each  foreign  missionary, 
than  the  same  number  of  thousands  to  each  pastor  at  home. 
It  would  be  found  that  the  ministers  of  Christ  were  crowded 
into  a few  corners  of  the  earth,  while  the  wide  field  of  pagan 
desolations  was  surrendered  to  the  holy  daring  and  generous 
self-devotion  of  a little  band  of  foreign  missionaries.*  At 
present  time,  therefore,  there  is  no  ground  for  the  fear 
xthat  we  shall  feel  too  much  interest  in  the  foreign  field,  or 
send  so  many  ministers  abroad  as  to  damage  the  domestic 

* The  followings  remarks,  flom  the  pen  of  the  lamented  and  extraordinary 
youth,  John  Urquhart,  are  so  admirable  and  appropriate,  that  we  cannot  for- 
bear their  insertion  here  in  a note. 

“ Let  us  imagine,  that  instead  of  the  world,  a single  country  had  been 
pointed  out  by  our  Lord  as  the  field  of  action.  And  since  we  are  most  fami- 
liar with  our  own  land,  let  us  just  suppose,  that  the  particular  country  speci- 
fied was  the  island  of  Great  Britain  : and  that,  instead  of  the  command  to  go 
forth  to  all  nations,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  the  order  had 
been  to  go  through  all  the  counties  of  this  island,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to 
every  inhabitant.  I find  that  on  a scale  which  would  make  the  population  of 
Great  Britain  represent  that  of  the  world,  the  population  of  Mid  Lothian 
might  be  taken  as  a sufiiciently  accurate  representation  of  the  population  of 
our  own  land. 

“In  order,  then,  to  have  a just  picture  of  the  present  state  of  the  world, 
only  conceive  that  all  who  had  received  the  above  commission,  some  how  or 
other,  had  contrived  to  gather  themselves  together  within  the  limits  of  this 
single  county.  Imagine  to  yourselves  all  the  other  divisions  of  Scotland  and 
England  immersed  in  heathen  darkness ; and  that  by  these  Christians  who 
had  so  unaccountably  happened  to  settle  down  together  in  one  little  spot,  no 
effort  was  made  to  evangelize  the  rest  of  the  land,  except  by  collecting  a little 
money,  and  sending  forth  two  or  three  itinerants,  to  walk  single  handed 
through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  country. 

“ I shall  be  told,  however,  that  illustration  is  not  argument ; and  so  distorted 
have  our  views  been  on  this  subject,  that  you  will  be  disposed  to  think  this  a 
perfect  caricature  of  the  matter.  But  I deny  that  this  is  an  illustration  at  aU. 
It  is  merely  a representation  on  a reduced  scale ; and  I believe  you  will  find 
it  to  be  a correct  representation  of  the  state  of  the  world.” 


284 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


work.  The  wonder  only  is,  that  any  one  acquainted  with 
the  history  of  missions,  should  apprehend  such  a result  even 
in  a distant  futurity.  A blush  of  shame  would  seem  a much 
more  appropriate  concomitant  of  such  a history  than  idle 
and  ill-omened  auguries  about  the  danger  of  excess  in  our 
efforts  for  the  heathen. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  striking  and  merciful  features  in  the 
constitution  of  Christian  character,  that  duty  and  our  best  in- 
terests are  inseparably  blended.  “ Do  thyself  no  harm,” 
“ do  good  unto  all  men,”  meet  in  the  result,  “ give  and  it 
shall  be  given  unto  you.”  We  do  ourselves  harm,  when  we 
refuse  to  do  others  good,  and  wisdom  unites  with  love  and 
duty,  in  prompting  us  to  seek  the  salvation  of  our  fellow- 
men.  It  is  the  great  law  of  moral  action  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace,  “ that  it  in  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  received 
It  is  promised  alike  to  individuals,  and  to  communities  of 
Christians,  “they  that  water,  shall  be  watered  also.”  To 
be  good,  is  to  do  good:  and  to  do  good  is  to  get  good  more 
abundantly.  As  well  might  the  husbandman  in  time  of 
spring  withhold  his  seed  from  the  fallowed  earth,  to  rescue 
it  from  waste,  as  for  us  to  look  for  injuries  to  the  Church 
from  the  sending  forth  of  foreign  missionaries.  “ If  we  sow 
sparingly,  we  shall  reap  sparingly.”  If  we  save  the  seed, 
we  shall  lose  the  harvest! 

Did  not  the  Jews  lose  their  birthright  in  the  Church  of 
Christ  by  refusing  to  give  their  religion  to  the  Gentiles? 
“ I say,  then,  have  they  stumbled  that  they  might  fall?  God 
forbid;  but  rather  through  their  fall,  salvation  is  come  to 
the  Gentiles.”* 

It  is  a memorable  fact,  that  the  corruptions  of  the  primi- 


*Rom.  xi.  11. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


285 


tive  church  increased  in  proportion  to  the  decay  of  mission- 
ary enterprise.  Nor  is  it  less  true,  that,  in  our  day,  the 
revival  of  religion  at  home,  appeared  and  grew  in  perfect 
harmony,  and  even  exact  degree,  with  the  spirit  and  work 
of  foreign  missions.  It  is  not  necessary  to  determine  whe- 
ther this  spirit  be  the  cause  or  the  effect  of  reviving  religion 
among  the  people.  If  it  be  the  uniform  effect,  then  its  ab- 
sence denotes  religious  decay;  if  it  be  the  uniform  cause, 
then  is  it  a blessing  to  the  Church.  The  truth  is,  it  is  at 
once  the  cause  and  the  effect.  As  Christians  awake  to  an 
increased  regard  for  God,  and  for  their  own  souls,  they  ac- 
quire also  an  increased  regard  for  the  well-being  of  other 
men:  they  feel  a more  tender  and  holy  pity  for  the  perish- 
ing heathen.  An  increased  interest  in  their  welfare  pro- 
duces increased  efforts  for  their  salvation;  and  every  prayer 
they  offer,  every  gift  they  bestow,  every  effort  they 
make,  returns  into  their  own  bosoms.  Thus,  every  im- 
pression made  abroad  is  felt  with  electric  force  at  home, 
as  Scipio  raised  the  siege  of  Rome  at  the  gates  of  Car- 
thage: and  thus  a repercussive  influence  is  constantly 
exchanged.  Let  those,  therefore,  who  shelter  their  con- 
sciences against  the  claims  of  foreign  missions,  under  the 
idle  and  fallacious  adage  “that  w’e  have  heathen  enough  at 
home,”  henceforth  remember  that  the  Church  cannot  afford 
to  do  without  the  foreign  field;  that  the  best  way  to  carry 
on  missions  at  home  is  to  carry  on  missions  abroad;  and  that 
all  neglect  of  this  great  cause  not  only  violates  the  last  com- 
mand of  Jesus  Christ,  and  endangers  the  souls  of  innume- 
rable millions  of  our  fellow-men,  but  impairs  the  vital  ener- 
gies of  the  Church  itself. 


VII.  We  remark  again,  that  the  toorld  never  loill  he 


286 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


converted  to  God,  without  the  active  and  intentional 
agency  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

It  is  evident  from  the  word  of  God,  and  the  past  history 
of  Missions,  that  the  world  never  will  be  saved  without 
the  instrumentality  of  the  people  of  God.  Not  that  this  is 
necessary  on  God’s  part;  but  it  has  pleased  Him  that  it 
should  be  so.  In  this  way  God  puts  eternal  shame  upon 
Satan,  and  eternal  honour  on  his  Son,  by  using  so  frail  an 
agency  to  destroy  the  kingdom  of  darkness;  and  at  the 
same  time,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the  instrument  which 
he  uses  to  break  the  oppressor’s  power,  and  rescue  the 
oppressed,  is  prepared  for  heaven  by  the  service  which  he 
performs.  This  plan  of  operation  is  not  only  determined 
on,  but  if  we  may  speak  so,  the  divine  veracity  is  pledged, 
and  the  divine  honour  committed,  on  the  principle  that 
men,  Christian  men,  are  to  take  the  Gospel  to  their  fellow 
men.  The  divine  influence  must  of  course  attend  and  bless 
human  exertion  and  Gospel  means.  But  human  agency  is 
inseperable  from  the  success  of  the  arrangement.  “ Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  and  joreacA  the  Gospel  to  every  creature; 
and  Lo!  lam  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world!” 

In  all  ages,  since  the  apostles  closed  their  illustrious 
labours,  the  grand  difficulty  has  been  to  induce  men  to  do 
their  part  in  this  great  work.  In  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel  by  his  holy  providence,  it  may  almost  be  said  of  the 
Redeemer,  that  of  “ the  people,  there  is  none  with  him.”* 
If  we  subtract  from  tbe  sum  of  what  has  been  effected  for 
Christianity,  all  that  the  course  of  human  affairs  overruled  by 
God  has  done;  all  that  natural  generation  has  done;  all  that 


* Foster. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS, 


287 


emigration  and  colonizing  (with  Christian  population)  heathen 
lands,  have  done;  all  that  the  bringing  of  the  heathen  to  the 
Gospel  has  done;  all  that  wars  and  revolutions,  inventions 
and  discoveries,  and  human  enterprise  have  unintention- 
ally done;  in  a word,  if  we  subtract  all  the  indirect  in- 
fluences of  Christianity,  and  all  the  overruled  events  of  the 
world,  from  what  has  been  done  for  the  cause  of  Jesus,  then 
how  much  will  remain? 

Now  by  all  these  agencies,  and  indeed  by  the  whole  uni- 
verse of  agencies,  is  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  carrying 
on  the  work  of  Redemption.  But  the  tide  of  providence, 
which  steadily  sets  in  with  the  final  conversion  of  the 
world,  is  only  the  stream  on  which  the  tall  and  goodly 
vessel”  of  the  Gospel  floats:  and  to  reach  its  desired  haven, 
the  navigator  man  must  take  the  helm,  as  well  as  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus  fill  the  sail.  Heretofore,  if  we  may  so  speak,  the 
work  of  the  Lord  has  been  carrying  forward  the  Church; 
but  the  Church  is  required  to  carry  forward  the  work  of 
the  Lord,  God  demands  of  us  that  we  give  not  only  an 
overruled  and  indirect  assistance  (for  that  he  extorts  even 
from  his  foes,)  but  that  we  should  co-operate  with  him  in 
a positive,  direct,  and  intentional  instrumentality . 

VHI.  We  proceed  to  remark,  that  a crisis  appears  now 
to  have  been  arrived  at,  in  the  history  of  the  world,  in 
which  it  is  peculiarly  important  for  the  Christian 
Church  to  bear  with  all  her  resources  on  the  conversion 
of  the  heathen.  In  a somewhat  inverted  application  of 
the  apocalyptic  symbol,  a “voice”  seems  to  “come  forth 
from  the  temple  of  God,  saying,  thrust  in  the  sickle  and 
reap,  for  the  time  to  reap  has  come;  for  the  harvest  of  the 
earth  is  ripe.”  The  spirit  of  the  age  is  ripe  for  action,  for 
40 


288 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


it  is  a spirit  of  extraordinary  enterprise.  It  is  a public 
spirit  also,  and  is  ripe,  if  well  directed,  not  only  for  action, 
but  for  combined  action,  on  a scale  of  noble  daring  and  sub- 
lime extent,  hitherto  unknown  on  earth.  It  is  an  age  of 
revolution;  and  it  is  ripe  not  only  for  change,  but  for  im- 
provement too.  While  the  God  of  providence  is  shak- 
ing all  nations,  the  desire  of  nations  must  be  at  hand. 
“ While  he  removes  diadem  after  diadem,  and  takes  off 
crown  after  crown,”*  He  must  be  near  whose  right  it  is 
to  rule. 

And  then  our  facilities  for  the  universal  diffusion  of  the 
Gospel,  are  great  and  manifold,  to  a most  surprising  extent. 
By  all  the  power  of  the  press,  by  all  the  commerce  of  the 
nations,  by  arts,  by  arms,  by  the  progress  of  improvement, 
by  the  spirit  and  growth  of  liberty,  by  the  decay  of  the 
great  rival  systems  of  religion,  and  by  the  general  state  of 
the  heathen  world,  as  well  as  by  all  the  provisions  of  the 
Gospel,  is  the  way  of  the  Lord  prepared  before  us,  and  our 
long  delay  reproved. 

And  again,  every  step  we  take  seems  to  be  divinely  se- 
conded and  sustained.  Success  beyond  our  faith,  above 
our  hopes,  has  attended  our  efforts,  and  beckoned  us  on  to 
a more  devoted  and  extended  work  of  missions.  That 
which  seemed  a rock  has  sent  forth  gushing  waters,  when 
smitten  by  the  rod  of  the  Gospel  herald,  in  the  Redeemer’s 
name.  Nations  have  thrown  away  their  idols  to  receive 
us,  or  have  given  them  up  at  our  bidding;  while  other  na- 
tions are  inviting  us  to  come,  and  weep  when  a Christian 
sail  appears,  bringing  no  Bibles  and  no  missionaries.  And 
a reproving  providence,  opening  a way  for  the  Gospel  to 


Ilnggai  iii.  7.  Ezekiel  xxi.  27. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


289 


mankind,  seems  to  say,  in  the  voice  of  all  its  operations, 
“ go  forward,  go  forward,”  to  the  lingering,  hesitating 
Church. 

IX.  The  next  suggestion  has  reference  to  our  own  coun- 
try. It  is  this:  that  the  genius  of  our  institutions,  and 
the  concomitant  spirit  of  the  people,  fit  them  in  a pecu- 
liar manner  to  receive  with  favour  appeals  in  behalf  of 
missions.  There  exists  in  the  bosom  of  the  people  a con- 
stitutional sympathy  for  oppressed  nations,  and  a fervid 
desire  to  impart  to  others  the  blessings  which  we  enjoy. 
It  is,  in  this  respect,  a nation  of  philanthropists;  a deposi- 
tory of  civil  and  religious  liberty  for  the  population  of  the 
earth.  Here,  then,  we  may  successfully  approach  them  as 
the  guardians  of  the  Bible  for  other  lands.  Here  we  have 
a national  highway  to  the  hearts  of  the  people.  The 
transition,  though  delicate,  is  not  difficult,  to  a more 
elevated  freedom;  to  more  pure  and  enduring  blessings. 
We  may  say  to  them  with  a force  which  it  will  not  be 
easy  to  resist,  you,  the  people  of  this  happy  land,  who,  in 
the  noble  disinterestedness  of  freemen  and  of  brethren, 
exult  in  the  political  independence  of  Spanish  America,  in 
the  emancipation  of  injured  Greece,  and  the  rising  liberties 
of  France;  you  who  welcome  with  enthusiastic  hospitality 
the  arrival  on  your  shores  of  the  oppressed  Irishman  and 
the  persecuted  Pole;  you  who  pant  and  pray  for  universal 
freedom,  and  delight  to  impart  the  blessings  of  your  na- 
tional republican  institutions  to  an  admiring  world;  will 
you  stifle  the  convictions  which  rise  up  in  your  breasts  to 
plead  for  the  rights  of  man?  Can  you  withhold  from 
heathen  nations  the  covenant  of  their  spiritual  peace,  and 
bury  in  your  rusting  cofiers  their  heavenly  citizenship  and 


290 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


llieir  eternal  freedom?  And  if  such  is  the  feeling  of  freemen 
and  the  spirit  of  American  citizens,  what  ought  we  not  to 
look  for  from  the  Christians  of  America,  upon  whose 
hearts  have  been  superinduced  the  unearthly  influences  and 
resistless  appeals  of  eternal  truth  and  holy  love! 

X.  Finally;  it  is  a missionary  spirit  which  we  need  in 
the  Church  of  God,  in  order  to  give  her  the  proper  effi- 
ciency in  the  ivork  of  missions.  By  this  we  mean  a spirit 
of  supreme  devotion  to  the  divine  Redeemer;  a spirit  in 
unison  with  the  end  for  which  the  Saviour  died;  a spirit 
which  properly  estimates  the  value  of  the  soul;  a spirit  of 
enlarged  and  generous  love  to  man,  and  of  holy  pity  to  the 
perishing  heathen.  In  a word,  we  mean  the  spirit  of  true 
religion,  and  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tian enterprise,  which  is  attributed  in  ancient  prophecy  to 
a Christian  people.  “The  people  that  know  the  Lord  shall 
be  strong,  and  shall  do  exploits.”  It  is  this  which  burnt 
with  holy  and  consuming  ardour  in  the  great  apostle’s 
breast,  when  he  declared,,  “ I am  ready  not  to  be  bound 
only,  but  also  to  die  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.”  “ I 
have  strived  to  preach  among  the  Gentiles,  where  Jesus 
was  not  named,  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.”*  Under 
the  influence  of  such  a spirit  as  this,  a new  order  of  men 
and  of  movements  would  arise,  altogether  above  the  tame 
and  long  tolerated  standard  of  the  Christian  Church.  Such 
men  as  Paul,  and  Luther,  and  Whitfield  would  re-appear. 
The  sons  of  thunder  would  again  fulminate  upon  the  na- 
tions, and  the  sons  of  consolation  again  pour  into  the  weary 
and  heavy  laden  hearts  of  pagan  men,  the  oil  of  Gospel  joy 


*■  Acts  xxi.  13.  Romans  xv.  20.  Ephesians  iii.  8. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


291 


and  gladness.  The  heroic  heralds  of  the  cross,  clad  in  the 
might  of  God,  and  fired  with  the  spirit  of  missions,  would 
transcend  all  human  calculations;  impatient  of  delay,  they 
would  outstrip  the  tedious  and  timid  expedients  of  human 
policy;  they  would  hasten  with  the  Gospel  to  the  dying^^ 
nations,  and  fly  through  the  earth  as  avant  couriers  of  the 
approaching  King  of  Kings.*  A few  such  men  as  these  at 
home  and  abroad,  would  kindle  the  whole  Church  of  Christ 
into  one  broad  blaze  of  light;  would  call  out  into  action 
every  spiritual  energy,  and  every  temporal  resource;  and 
cause  a resistless  enginery  of  Gospel  means,  to  bear  upon 
the  entire  destruction  of  heathenism. 

It  has  been  the  uniform  fate  of  all  great  enterprises  to  meet 
in  their  origin  with  resistance  and  even  with  ridicule  from 
the  weak,  the  selfish,  and  the  over  cautious.  The  ancients 
called  profane,  and  even  mad,  the  first  brave  mariner  who 
ventured  out  to  sea:  Columbus  was  for  almost  an  age  an  un- 
heeded suppliant  at  the  feet  of  European  princes,  though  he 
asked  at  their  hands  the  permission  to  present  them  with  a 
NEW  WORLD ! Our  own  glorious  revolution  was,  at  its  dawn- 
ing, the  wonder  of  one  half  mankind,  and  the  derision  of 
the  other.  So  it  has  been  with  the  missionary  enterprise. 
Even  at  the  present  day,  it  is  the  by- word  of  the  wise  and 
prudent”  of  this  world;  and  a great  number  of  professed 
Christians,  preferring  ease  to  self-denial,  and  thinking  the 
state  of  the  heathen  so  good,  and  the  value  of  the  Gospel  to 
them  so  small,  regard  every  such  attempt  as  in  the  last  de- 
gree extravagant  and  wild. 

We  are  aware  that  this  spirit,  like  every  other,  is  liable 


* “Aut  inveniain  viatn  aut  faciam,”  is  the  true  missionary  principle,  when 
sanctified  by  divine  grace. 


293 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


to  abuse.  We  remember  the  crusades  of  one  age,  and  the 
fanatical  zeal  of  several  others.  We  are  no  friends  to  reli- 
gious knight-errants,  or  crazy  cosmopolites,  who  travel 
through  the  world  “without  wisdom  to  direct”  in  quest  of 
adventures.  It  may  be  worthy  of  remark,  however,  that 
the  very  attention  which  such  counterfeits  excite,  shows 
the  fine  impression  that  the  true  missionary  character  is 
fitted  to  make,  when  embodied  in  the  persons  of  such 
men  as  Whitfield,  Buchanan  and  Martyn.  But  we  are 
no  advocates  of  extremes  on  either  side.  The  extreme 
of  indifierence  or  of  cowardice  is  criminal  in  itself;  is  more 
common,  and  perhaps  more  hurtful,  than  that  of  fana- 
tical rashness.  The  extreme  of  mere  worldly  expedien- 
cy and  secular  policy  in  missions  is  as  evil  as  presumptu- 
ous enterprise.  The  system  of  the  Jesuits  was  as  fatal  as 
the  spirit  of  the  crusaders  to  true  religion.  The  author  of 
the  work,  entitled  “ For  Missionaries  after  the  Apostolical 
School,”  is  on  one  extreme.  He  would  storm  the  world, 
and  spurn  all  helps,  and  outfits,  and  means,  save  only  the 
vagrant  and  unfurnished  missionary.  This  is  quite  exces- 
sive, and  is  destined  to  live  only  in  the  fervours  of  his  own 
warm  but  wild  fancy.  The  work,  on  the  contrary,  entitled 
“ Hints  on  Missions,”  is  quite  as  extreme  on  the  other  side. 
The  plan  of  operation  which  it  suggests  would  be  more  dis- 
astrous in  its  consequences,  because  not  speculative  and  im- 
practicable like  the  other,  but  mainly  secular,  and  requiring 
only  .secular  men  to  promote  it.  The  author  would  civilize 
and  colonize  the  world  into  Christianity;  he  would  make  a 
mere  business-matter  of  giving  Christianity  to  heathen  na- 
tions; in  a word,  he  would  so  adjust  things,  that  the  world 
should  ffroiv  up  into  Christianity. 

Now,  the  medium  between  these  extremes  is  the  true  Gos- 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


293 


pel  plan.  No  scheme  abounds  so  much  in  practical  wisdom, 
and  powerful  means,  directly  adapted  to  produce  the  in- 
tended end,  as  the  Gospel  method  of  converting  the  world. 
And  the  spirit  of  missionary  enterprise  of  which  we  speak, 
is  that  divine  influence  by  which  man  is  at  once  qualified 
and  impelled  to  spread  this  salvation. 

The  great  agents  must  be  the  ministers  of  reconciliation, 
sent  out  into  all  the  world,  under  the  supreme  dominion  of 
this  spirit:  the  people  of  the  Lord,  who  cannot,  and  ought 
not  to  go,  yet  if  they  possess  this  spirit  will  help  them  in 
heaven  by  their  intercessions,  and  in  heathen  lands  by  their 
manifold  and  abounding  charities.  On  such  a spirit  God 
will  “ shed  his  selectest  influences;”  a resistless  power  will 
attend  every  efibrt  directed  by  this  spirit;  and  to  universal 
efibrt  would  succeed  universal  impression.  Thus  the  pro- 
mises of  the  Gospel  would  travail  in  the  birth  of  nations, 
and  soon  a renovated  world  would  people  the  Church,  and 
a glorified  Church  would  people  heaven. 

We  have  pursued  these  suggestions  so  far,  that  little  room 
is  left  for  the  application  which  we  had  intended  of  this  dis- 
cussion. 

It  may  seem  in  strong  contrast  to  some  of  our  remarks,  yet 
it  is  in  perfect  consistency  with  them,  to  say,  that  prophecy, 
by  general  consent,  represents  the  conversion  of  the  world 
as  near  at  hand.  When  the  Apostle  Paul  assured  the  crew 
who  were  about  to  flee  out  of  the  ship,  ‘‘  except  ye  abide  in 
the  ship  ye  cannot  be  saved,”  he  did  not  forget  or  disparage 
the  revelation  of  the  Angel  of  God,  who  had  said  unto  him, 
“ There  shall  be  no  loss  of  any  man’s  life  among  you;  not 
a hair  shall  fall  from  the  head  of  any  of  you.”*  And  so  the 


* Acts  xxviii. 


294 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


world  must  soon  be  converted  to  God;  but  this  must  be 
done  by  the  agency  of  man.  The  means  are  no  less  neces- 
sary and  certain  than  the  end;  and  as  in  order  of  time,  they 
must  precede,  and  by  divine  appointment  bring  it  about,  so 
nothing  ever  can  nor  ever  will  be  done  without  their  proper 
use.  When  “ Daniel  understood  by  the  books”  of  divine 
prophecy,  that  a time  was  set  for  the  restoration  of  Israel, 
he  at  once,  and  for  that  reason,  betook  himself  to  the  work 
of  intercession  for  the  predicted  deliverance.  If  it  were 
not  that  the  conversion  of  the  world  is  a predicted  and  pro- 
mised event,  who  could  believe  that  it  ever  will  occur!  But 
God  has  said  it,  therefore  it  is  true;  and  we  expect  it  at  his 
word,  not  only  certainly,  but  soon.  In  order  to  this,  how- 
ever, Christians  must  begin  to  feel,  and  pray,  and  labour, 
and  give  and  make  sacrifices,  in  far  another  style;  and  great 
events  must  succeed  each  other,  with  a celerity  and  effect 
heretofore  unknown  on  earth.  The  last  forty  years,  com- 
pared with  the  centuries  past,  have  been  distinguished  by 
many  such  events;  and  may  be  a type  of  the  years  to  come. 
But  in  these  few  years  just  before  us,  the  world  and  the 
Church  must  live  very  fast.  The  friends  of  God  must  be 
multiplied  like  the  dew  of  the  morning;  and  they  must  grow 
in  stature,  as  they  augment  in  numbers.  The  irreconcileable 
enemies  of  God  may  expect  to  perish  with  accelerated  speed, 
and  great  terror.  As  it  is  written,  “one  woe  is  past,  and 
behold,  there  come  two  woes  more  hereafter;  and,  behold 
the  third  woe  cometh  qitickly.” 

One  most  cheering  characteristic  of  the  present  crisis  is, 
the  increasing  union  of  the  people  of  God.  Another  is  the 
spirit  of  enlargement  that  now  possesses  and  distinguishes 
many  of  our  national  benevolent  institutions.  Begin- 
ning, perhaps,  with  only  a very  distant  regard  to  so 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


295 


great  a work,  they  have  imperceptibly,  and  even  rapidly, 
been  led  on  by  the  finger  of  God,  until  now  the  Bible,  and 
the  Tract,  and  the  Sunday-school,  and  the  Temperance,  and 
the  Mariner’s  Societies  have,  in  succession,  passed  the  limits 
of  our  own  country,  and  taken  the  world  for  their  theatre 
of  action.  It  is  a heavenly  token  too,  that  God  is  pouring 
out  his  Spirit  upon  our  missionary  labours  and  institu- 
tions abroad;  thus  setting  his  approving  seal  to  the  work, 
and,  by  divine  interposition,  giving  evidence  of  his  being 
the  God  of  the  Bible,  and  the  God  of  the  race.  And  still 
the  most  important  of  all  the  tokens  for  good  is  this,  that 
God’s  method  of  converting  th&  world,  viz.  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel,  has  begun  to  take  its  true  place  in  the  re- 
gards of  the  Church  of  God;  a great  number  of  devoted 
youth  have  dedicated  themselves  to  the  honoured  work,  at 
home  and  abroad;  and  the  earth  seems  preparing  to  hear  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  Who,  then,  will  dare  to  slumber  at  such 
a time  as  this?  Who  will  dare  to  shut  up  his  bowels  of  com- 
passion now?  Who  will  hoard  God’s  treasure,  when  the 
life  of  souls  may  be  in  it  ? Who  will  refuse,  when  God 
calls  him  from  on  high,  to  come  up  to  his  help?  Who  will 
refuse  to  say,  ’■'■here  am  I,  send  me?”  Did  Christ  Jesus 
pour  out  his  soul  unto  death  for  us,  and  shall  we  now  re- 
fuse to  give  our  substance  or  ourselves  unto  Him?  To 
every  hesitating  heart  I seem  to  hear  an  injured  Saviour 
speaking  from  heaven,  ”If  thou  altogether  boldest  thy 
peace  at  this  time,  then  shall  there  enlargement  and  de- 
liverance arise  from  another  place;  but  thou  shalt  be 
destroyed.”* 

The  organization,  the  numbers,  the  character,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States 


41 


* Esther  iv.  14. 


296 


SPRUCE  STREET  LECTURES. 


have  justified  the  expectation  of  a noble  effort  by  her  in 
the  cause  of  foreign  missions.  She  has  not  met  this 
reasonable  hope.  She  has  not  acted  on  this  subject  in  a 
way  worthy  of  her  avowed  allegiance  to  God,  of  her  pro- 
fessed love  to  man,  and  of  her  pure  and  powerful  witness 
to  the  truth  at  home.  Her  disregard  of  foreign  missions 
has  been  in  singular  contrariety  to  the  promptitude  and  ef- 
fect with  which  she  has  sustained  each  great  domestic  enter- 
prise in  behalf  of  Christianity,  as  they  have  in  succession 
presented  themselves  before  her.  At  this  moment  every 
Presbytery  in  the  Church  (and  they  amount  to  more  than 
one  hundred)  ought,  on  a general  average,  to  provide 
one  foreign  missionary,  and  then  to  sustain  him  in  the 
field  of  his  labours.  Whether  our  lethargy  on  this  subject 
result  from  the  want  of  missionary  organization  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Church,  or  from  the  still  more  distressing  and 
criminal  want  of  a missionary  spirit,  we  have  all  a great 
public  sin  to  confess  and  to  forsake.  The  Church  has  sin- 
ned; and  we  her  ministers  have  sinned  still  more.  It  is 
high  time  that  we  had  all  repented  of  this  sin,  and  evin- 
ced the  soundness  of  our  repentance  by  a due  and  deep  re- 
form. Then  let  every  minister  awake,  and  let  every  mem- 
ber awake,  at  the  call  of  the  divine  Redeemer,  to  regard 
the  claims  of  the  dying  Heathen? 

To  the  youth  of  our  Church  who  are  preparing  to  preach 
the  Gospel  we  especially  look  for  that  Christian  enterprise, 
which,  under  God,  shall  rouse  the  energies  of  the  Church; 
shall  rescue  her  venerated  name  from  reproach  among  men; 
and  bear  her  heavenly  charities  to  heathen  lands.  To  these 
young  brothers  in  the  Lord,  who  are  standing  on  the 
threshold  of  the  most  elevated  and  most  awful  of  human 
trusts,  we  would  most  afiectionately  say — take  not  your 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


297 


standard  of  action  from  your  fathers  and  elder  brethren  in 
the  ministry.  Shame  covers  our  faces  when  we  turn  them 
towards  the  continents,  where  darkness  and  death  eternal 
reign.  Pause  before  you  select  a field  of  future  labour; 
and  survey  these  wide  and  awful  desolations  of  many  gene- 
rations! Listen  to  the  groans  of  dying  millions  as  they  as- 
cend to  heaven!  Count  not  your  own  lives  dear  to  you, 
in  comparison  of  their  eternal  good!  Come  forth  from 
your  sacred  shades  of  study  and  devotion  to  kindle  our 
hearts  anew  in  this  great  service!  Come!  not  only  to  point 
us,  but  lead  us  to  that  field  to  which  the  finger  of  God  di- 
rects you,  and  the  wail  of  perishing  nations  calls  you! 

Finally.  In  associating  ourselves  with  the  empire  of  God, 
as  agents  in  this  great  work,  it  is  a most  affecting  considera- 
tion, that  we  are  a spectacle  to  men  and  angels:  that  we  live 
in  a public  world,  which  has  been  selected  by  God,  as  a 
theatre  for  the  display  of  the  most  sublime  and  awful  events 
in  the  history  of  the  universe.  We  allude  more  especially 
to  the  entrance  of  sin  into  it,  with  all  its  train  of  death,  and 
ruin,  on  the  one  hand — and  the  method  of  its  destruction  on 
the  other,  by  the  death  of  the  Son  of  God.  In  the  contest 
which  is  going  forward,  all  creatures  may  have  a part;  in 
its  issue  all  beings  have  an  interest.  Our  world,  which 
is  now  its  field,  is  appointed  of  God,  to  be  the  tomb  of  sin, 
and  the  trophy  of  Divine  Redemption.  And  are  we  actors 
on  such  a stage?  Oh  distinction  full  of  terror!  “Seeing 

THEN,  THAT  WE  ARE  COMPASSED  ABOUT  WITH  SO  GREAT  A CLOUD 
OF  WITNESSES,  LET  US  LAY  ASIDE  EVERY  WEIGHT,  AND  THE  SIN 
THAT  DOTH  MOST  EASILY  BESET  US,  AND  LET  US  RUN  WITH  PA- 
TIENCE THE  RACE  THAT  IS  SET  BEFORE  US,  LOOKING  UNTO 
JESUS.” 


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